Taihape. 1970s grime drama

Finding somewhere to stay in Taihape (Tie- happy)was harder than expected. The small agricultural service town was quiet, with pricey motels and no real backpackers hostel. After some help from Ethan in the BP garage, I managed to find a pub with rooms for $15. I discovered a few things. Firstly, you get what you pay for. Secondly that a pub here is very much less the warm cosy pint-by-a-log-fire kind of place, more a working mens club/bar/betting office/doss house. Thirdly, that horse hair matresses in brown (once-white) waterproof pvc coating is never going to be comfortable. It was like walking back in time to a scene from Starsky and Hutch. I confidently expected to put my head out the door and see flare clad undercover cops busting down a door looking for one of Huggsy's henchmen.



As I entered the smoke stained corridor, the sickening waft of recently cooked kippers filled the already stale air. One other room was occupied, the light from within beaming dully from the open door at the end of the corridor. Loud snoring emanated. I didn't need to go further down the corridor, though I envisaged a large balding man asleep with pasta sauce spilled down his string vest, long cigarette ash about to fall from his nicotine stained fingertips. My room was equally stale, the walls didn't reach the floor




and was replete with free grime, cracked windows poorly locked, overlooking a low corrugated tin roof (across which an exciting police foot chase might easily occur - "You'll never catch me Kojak" -steps back and falls into passing garbage truck).
After having returned to the BP station for some socialising, I slept unexpectedly well and left as early as possible. Tiehape, not so happy a place.